Conveying and transfer mechanism



April 28, 1959 H. OBERWELLAND ,3 4

CONVEYING AND TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed July "7, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR #03 06erue/fan April 28, 1959 H. OBERWELLAND CONVEYING ANDTRANSFER MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed July '7, 1954 26 Fig.5

7 IN VENTOP I 192 flerare/la d BY 'fed to a second wrapping machine.however, is cumbersome.

' fashion.

United States Patent() I CONVEYING AND TRANSFER MECHANISM HugoOberwelland, Werther, near Bielefeld, Germany Application July 7, 1954,Serial No. 441,843 Claims priority, application Germany July 28, 1953 7Claims. (Cl. 198-24) This invention relates to a wrapping device, andmore particularly to a device for, and a method of, groupwise wrapping aplurality of individually wrapped objects.

It is known to place candies or other objects in individual wrappers andthen to wrap a stack of such individually wrapped objects in anadditional common cover. For instance, individually wrapped hard candiesare stacked one on top of the other, or placed next to one another, andthen wrapped as a group. Up to now,

individual pieces were wrapped in a first packing machine and then setup in groups by hand, and such groups were Such procedure, Also, withthe high speed operation of modern wrapping machines, several personsare required 'to set up the pieces in thereferred to Based on thisexperience, it has also been proposed to push individuallywrapped-objects, as they leave the first packing machine, upwardly intoa collecting channel. As soon as the number which is to be combined in astack is reached, the entire group is ejected to one side. Each group ofobjects is introduced in a conveyor cell and then transferred from thereto the second wrapping machine to receive the outer cover for the entiregroup. A device of this kind involves substantial structural outlay. Dueto the multiplicity of transfer points for the individual pieces and thecombined groups between the two packing machines, this arrangement isprobably readily subject to breakdowns.

One object of my invention is to provide a device for the wrapping of aplurality of objects, such as candies, each piece of candy beingindividually wrapped.

Another object of my invention is to overcome the disadvantages of thesetting up of objects by hand and of the aforementioned collectingchannel.

The primary object of my invention is to generally improve the groupwisewrapping of a plurality of objects.

More specifically, the present invention aims to simplify, chea'pen, andspeed up such groupwise wrapping.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing objects and such other objects aswill appear hereinafter, my invention consists in a wrapping device, itselements, a wrapping method, its steps, and the relation of theseelements and steps, respectively, one to the other, as are moreparticularly described in the following part of the specification.

The specification is acco panied by a drawing in which: 4 I

Fig. l is a perspective view of a plurality of individually wrappedobjects which a're'to be enclosed in a common wrapper of cellophane orsimilar material; 1

Fig. 2 is a side'elevation of a device according to my invention whichis to be disposed between two wrapping machines;

- Fig'. 3 is a detail elevational view of parts actuating a so-calledfinger; Fig. 4 is a detail elevational view of parts actuating a pushingmember; and f 2 2,884,114 Patentetl Apr. 28, 1959 branches off from theplane 11 downwardly, for instance,

at right angles, to curve gradually into a horizontal direction. Theindividual objects 10 are engaged by a pusher 15 and moved into thechute 14. The pusher moves up and down in a rhythm corresponding to themovement of the dogs 12. While passing through the chute, the objectsturn from the flat to an upright position. In the upper portion 1410fthe chute, the objects still lie more or less flatly one on top of theother. Due to a rapid feed of the objects into the chute and the curvedshape of the chute, at 142 the objects are already upright, that is,they stand next to one another and rest on their narrow sides. In suchposition, the objects are received by the endless conveyor belt 16 whichis supported by the two drums 17 and 18. The speed of the belt 16 iscontrolled so as to be equal to, or slightly greater than, the speed atwhich the objects 10 descend at 141.

While moving over the guide way 11, the individually wrapped objectshave the tonguelike end folds of their wrappers, clearly shown in Fig.1, parallel to the guide .way, and While moving through the chute 14,the end folds of the wrappers gradually turn to the vertical position.

The densely packed row of objects is moved forward by the conveyor beltto the stop 19. The individual objects, with the tonguelike end folds oftheir wrappers on their large fiat surfaces, press against one. anotherelastically. Ahead of the stop 19, a pushing member 20 which is clearlyshown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 moves at right angles to the direction of themovement of the conveyor belt. The pusher 20 is so wide that on eachoperative stroke it contacts a predetermined number of objects (five inthe present case) and pushes them out of the row on the belt and off toone side. A group of objects, as shown in Fig. 1 as an example, is thenfed in a known way to the second wrapping machine (not shown) whichprovides the group with a common wrapper of cellophane, paper, etc.

With the very rapid movement of the individually wrapped objects ontheconveyor belt 16, the operation could easily be interrupted if theforemost object, 101 or 102, were to tilt before it came to a halt bystriking against the stop 19. This is prevented by providing a movablefinger 21 which reciprocates between the positions 21 and 211. As soonas the foremost group is sufficiently displaced by the pushing member 20to permit passage of the finger 21 (see Fig. 5), the latter moves intothe row of objects as shown at 211 (see Figs. 2 and 3). The finger 21 istransversely tapered toward its lower edge (Fig. 4). The point thusformed assumes its position in front of the piece 102 when the precedinggroup has been pushed aside by the pushing member about one half tothree quarters the width of an object. This insertion of the pointsuflices to prevent tilting of the piece 102. The finger 21, while inthe position 211, is further lowered slightly, but does not yet moveforward; Only after the pusher 20 is returned to its starting position,the finger moves from the position 211 toward the left until it reachesthe position 21 and the object 101 abuts against the stop 19.

Referring to Fig. 3, the motions, the finger 21 has to perform, arereceived from cams 22 and 24, which are mounted on a common shaft 26. Afollower roller 28 cooperates with the cam 22 andcauses the finger 21 tomoveupv'vard, after it has reached the position '21,"

from the horizontal and downward, after it has moved, while raised,backto the position 211. A follower roller 30 cooperates with the cam 24and causes the finger 21, with the aid of a linkage generallydesignated.32, to move forward and backward.

In the mechanism to transmit motions to the pushing member 20, as shownin Fig. 4, use is made of two cams 34 and 35 mounted ona common shaft38. A link 40 carries a cam follower roller 42 to cooperate with the cam34 and to move the pushing member 20 upwardly and downwardly. A camfollower carried by a rod 46 cooperates with the cam 36. The rod 46forms a part of a linkage which imparts a lengthwisereciprocating motionto the pushing member 20.

From Fig. 5 it will be seen that the intersecting shafts 26 and 38 aredriven. by bevel gears 46 and communicate their motions over thereferredto cams, follower rollers, and linkages, in a positive mannerand in a mutually timed sequence, to the .finger 21 and the pushingmember 20, respectively.

Practical experience has shown that with the device of the invention itis possible to feed the objects without additional hand labor at thenormal production rate of the first wrapping machine where they areindividually wrapped, to the second machine where they are provided witha common cover, for instance, of cellophane.

To prevent lateral displacements of the objects, the guide way 11, thechute, and/ or the conveyor, or portions thereof, are provided withslightly projecting guide ridges.

It is believed that the method of my invention, as well as theconstruction and operation of a form of apparatus for practicing theinvention,.and the many advantages thereof, will be understoodfrom theforegoing detailed description.

Some of the featuresand advantages are reviewed hereinafter.

Preferably, the individually wrapped objects are fed in a flat positionto the pusher 15. The guide way 11 constitutes a first conveying way.Then the objects pass through the downwardly curved chute to the secondconveyor. According to one feature of my invention, the objects are fedinto the chute singly but continuously by the pusher 15 in such a waythat the tonguelike end folds of the wrapper of each of the objects ofthe series transported through the chute and, over the second conveyorwill be contiguous to the smooth wrapping surface of the adjoiningobject. Thus, while passing through the curved chute, the objects areautomatically set up in an erect position, and while the transverselyacting pushing member moves a group of most advanced objects to thesecond wrapping machine, the remaining objects, especially the objectleading the remaining objects, are held in their upright position. Thetonguelike end folds of the individual wrappers permit compression inthe row of objects transported on the second conveyor. The referred toremaining objects are supported in the upright position preferably by areciprocating member.

It will be understood that the term leading object as used in thisspecification is not intended for the very first individually wrappedobject of the entire row of such objects but for the first object behindthe group next to be fed to the second wrapping machine.

The finger 20 will intervene in front of the leading object and willthen travel at the speed and in the direction of the conveyor belt 16 soas to prevent the advancing objects from tilting until they finallyreach a fixed stop and a group of these objects is ejected sideways. Thefinger then flicks back and resumes a position in front of the thenleading object. This cycle is repeated continuously.

The finger is preferably designed so as to be able to assume itsposition in front of the leading object before the preceding group ofobjects is fully ejected from the row. The finger, after snapping back,may preferably be made to stand still for a short while until themovement of the transverse plunger is completed, whereupon the fingerresumes its movement with the conveyor belt.

In accordance with the present invention, advantage is taken of thecompressibility of the row of wrapped objects to equalize the continuousfeed of objects and the discontinuous ejection in groups. Thecompressibility compensates for the intermittent ejection.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my inventionin one form only, many changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention defined in the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. A device to be interposed between a continuously operative machineindividually wrapping objects so that the end folds of the individualwrapping are disposed at one side of the latter. and a machine applyingcommon wrappers to groups of the individually wrapped objects; saiddevice comprising a first conveyor continuously transportingindividually wrapped objects received from the individual wrappingmachine, a second conveyor disposed at a level below the first conveyor,feeding means gravitationally and successively. transferringindividually wrapped objects from said first conveyor to said secondconveyor to form a row of individually wrapped objects on said secondconveyor with the end folds of the individual wrappings being disposedbetween the successive objects so that said row is resilientlycompressible in the direction of movement of said second conveyor,pushing means normally disposed at one side of said second conveyor andmovable across the latter to push a group of individually wrappedobjects at the head of said row laterally off said second conveyor forfeeding, as a group, to the group wrapping machine, and means operativeto hold the object on said second conveyor immediately behind said groupof objects at the head of the row during the movement of said pushingmeans across the second conveyor, while wrapped objects are added to therow and the latter is compressed, and to move'with the held object inthe direction of movement of said second conveyor following the lateralremoval of a group of objects from the second conveyor and the return ofsaid pushing means to said one side of the latter.

2. A device according to claim 1; wherein the object holding meansincludes a retaining member reciprocable along said second conveyorthrough a stroke substantially equal to the length of a group of wrappedobjects to be removed from the head of said row, said retaining memberprojecting into the path of said wrapped objects on said second conveyorwhen it is disposed at the limit of its stroke in the direction opposedto the conveyor movement and being removed from the path of the conveyedobjects following the completion of the stroke of said retaining memberin the direction of the conveyor movement for the return stroke in theopposed direction.

3. A device according to claim'2; further comprising a stop locatedadjacent the position of said retaining member at the completion of thestroke of the latter in the direction of movement of said secondconveyor and holding the foremost wrapped object of the row againstmovement with said second conveyor during said return stroke of theretaining member in the direction opposed to the conveyor movement.

4. A device according to" claim 3; wherein said retaining member isshaped to fit between the last of the group of objects and the objectnext in line in the row on said second conveyor before said group ofobjects has been completely removed from said second conveyor.

5. A device according to claim 3; wherein said retaining member remainsat the limit of its stroke in the direction opposed to the movement ofsaid second conveyor and projects into the path-of the objects in the .3row during the lateral removal of said group of objects from the secondconveyor.

6. Method of feeding groups of objects that are individually wrapped ina first continuously operative machine, so that the wrapping of eachobject has end folds at one side of the latter, to a second machinewhere a group of objects is enveloped in a common wrapping; comprisingthe steps of feeding the individually Wrapped objects from the firstmachine along a first conveyor, with the end folds of the individualwrappings being substantially parallel to the conveying surface of thefirst conveyor, and along a guide member onto a conveyor to form a rowof wrapped objects on the latter with the end folds of the individualwrappings being substantially vertical to the conveying surface of thesecond conveyor and disposed between the successive objects of said rowto provide resiliently compressible material between the successiveobjects so that the row of objects can be resiliently compressed in thelongitudinal direction, compressing said row in the longitudinaldirection after the addition of each wrapped object thereto to preventtoppling of the Wrapped objects in said row, and intermittently removinggroups of individually wrapped objects from the head of said row on theconveyor so that the removed groups can be fed to the second machine forenvelopment in common wrappers, the longitudinal compressibility of saidrow of individually wrapped objects permitting the feeding of additionalindividually Wrapped objects to said conveyor during the periods whengroups of wrapped objects are being removed from the head of the row.

7. In the device according to claim 1, said first conveyor singlytransporting the individually wrapped objects with the end folds ofthe'individual wrappings being on a side of the objects substantiallyparallel to the conveying surface of the first conveyor, said feedingmeans including a curved guide member opening upwardly adjacent thefirst conveyor to successively receive the individually wrapped objectsfrom the latter, and opening horizontally adjacent said second conveyorto guide the individually Wrapped objects and to discharge the latter ina row onto the second conveyor, said object holding means being operableto help crowd the individually wrapped objects on the second conveyor,with the second conveyor in continuous operation, to cause the objectsto assume positions with said wrapping end folds being substantiallyvertical to the conveying surface of the second conveyor and disposedbetween successive objects, and an oscillating pusher to successivelyengage and move the individually wrapped objects from the first conveyorinto the upwardly opening end of the curved guide member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,433,328 Wright Oct. 24, 1922 1,501,285 Lawrence July 15, 19241,920,563 Jahne Aug. 1, 1933 1,961,697 Little June 5, 1934 2,614,679Sandberg Oct. 21, 1952 2,691,922 Pearce Oct. 19, 1954

